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{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1983)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
|name= Wayne Simien
|image=WayneSimien.jpg
|width=
|alt=
|caption=Simien in 2009
|position= [[Power forward (basketball)|Power forward]]
|number=25
|height_ft= 6
|height_in= 9
|weight_lbs= 260
|birth_date= {{Birth date and age|1983|3|9}}
|birth_place= [[Leavenworth, Kansas]], U.S.
|high school = [[Leavenworth High School|Leavenworth]] (Leavenworth, Kansas)
|college= [[Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball|Kansas]] (2001–2005)
|draft_year= 2005
|draft_round= 1
|draft_pick=29
|draft_team=[[Miami Heat]]
|career_start= 2005
|career_end= 2009
| years1 ={{nbay|2005|start}}–{{nbay|2006|end}}
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]]
| years2 =2008–2009
| team2 = [[Cáceres Ciudad del Baloncesto]]
|highlights=
* [[List of NBA champions|NBA champion]] ([[2006 NBA Finals|2006]])
* Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[2005 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|2005]])
* Third-team All-American – [[Associated Press|AP]] ([[2004 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|2004]])
* [[Big 12 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year|Big 12 Player of the Year]] (2005)
* No. 23 jersey [[Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball#Retired jerseys|retired by Kansas Jayhawks]]
* [[McDonald's High School All-American|McDonald's All American]] (2001)
* Second-team [[Parade All-America Boys Basketball Team|''Parade'' All-American]] (2001)
* [[Mr. Kansas Basketball]] (2001)
|stats_league= NBA
|stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
|stat1value = 169
|stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebound]]
|stat2value = 99
|stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]/[[Steal (basketball)|Steals]]
|stat3value = 11/15
}}

'''Wayne Anthony Simien Jr.''' (born March 9, 1983) is an American former professional [[basketball]] player, who last played with Spain's Cáceres Ciudad de Baloncesto.<ref>{{cite web|last = Bedore|first = Gary|url = http://www2.kusports.com/news/2008/oct/11/simien_reviving_career_spain/|title = Simien Reviving Career in Spain|work = Lawrence Journal-World|date = October 11, 2008}}</ref>  He was a member of the [[Miami Heat]] when they won the [[2006 NBA Finals|2006 NBA championship]]. Simien played in college at the [[University of Kansas]], where he was a consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] his [[2004-05 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|senior year]] in [[2005 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|2005]].

==High school career==

Growing up, Simien was a [[University of Kansas]] fan due to his proximity to [[Lawrence, Kansas|Lawrence]]. He committed to play for [[Roy Williams (coach)|Roy Williams]] and the University of Kansas as early as the 8th or 9th grade, and was later named to the 2001 [[McDonald's All-American Team]]. He played for the Leavenworth Pioneers in high school with Coach Larry Hogan and led the Pioneers to a 6A-State Championship his junior year in high school. During his high school career, he began working with world-renowned conditioning coach [[Istvan Javorek]].

==College career==
At Kansas, Simien received [[All-American]] honors his junior and senior years. He was a [[Wooden Award]] finalist both years, and was the [[Big 12]] Player of the Year his senior year. His [[College basketball|college career]] ended when Kansas was defeated by 14th-seeded [[Bucknell University|Bucknell]] in the first round of the [[2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2005 NCAA tournament]]. While at Kansas he won three Big 12 Championships and earned four NCAA Tournament berths including two Final Four appearances (one national runner-up finish) and one Elite 8 finish. Simien finished his college career with 110 wins and a 12–4 NCAA Tournament record. Simien was the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award winner his final year, recognizing him as the nation's top senior men's basketball player. He finished his career as the 12th leading all-time scorer at Kansas with 1,593 points. Kansas retired his number 23 jersey on January 29, 2011.<ref name="jerseyretired">{{cite web|title = Wayne Simien: Jersey honor a 'tremendous experience'|first = Gary|last = Bedore|url = http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/jan/29/wayne-simien-jersey-honor-tremendous-experience/|access-date= January 29, 2011|work = [[Lawrence Journal-World]]}}</ref>

===College statistics===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[2001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2001–02]]
|style="text-align:left;"|[[2001–02 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
|'''32'''||-||15.3||.553||-||.738||5.3||.3||.6||.8||8.1
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2002–03]]
|style="text-align:left;"|[[2002–03 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
|16||-||24.4||'''.646'''||-||.676||8.2||.6||'''.9'''||.3||14.8
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2003–04]]
|style="text-align:left;"|[[2003–04 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
|'''32'''||-||32.7||.532||.182||.811||9.3||1.2||'''.9'''||'''.9'''||17.8
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2004–05]]
|style="text-align:left;"|[[2004–05 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
|26||-||'''34.3'''||.552||'''.286'''||'''.816'''||'''11.0'''||'''1.4'''||.6||.6||'''20.3'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"| 
|106||-||26.6||.566||.24||.784||8.3||0.9||.7||.7||15.0
{{S-end}}

==Professional career==
Simien was selected with the 29th overall selection of the [[2005 NBA draft]] by the [[Miami Heat]], with whom he won a championship in [[2006 NBA Finals|2006]]. During [[2005-06 NBA season|the regular season]], he appeared in 43 games (about 10 minutes per game), averaging 3 points and 2 [[rebound (basketball)|rebounds]], but only managed two [[2006 NBA Playoffs|postseason appearances]].

Simien could not participate in the Heat's 2006 Summer League program because of a [[salmonella]] infection.<ref>{{cite web|title = Simien back in form after infection|first = Israel|last = Gutierrez|date = October 6, 2006|work = [[Lawrence Journal-World]]|url =http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/oct/06/simien_back_form_after_infection/|access-date = March 19, 2007}}</ref> His contribution during [[2006-07 NBA season|the season]] consisted of eight games.

Simien was traded from the Heat along with [[Antoine Walker]] and [[Michael Doleac]] to the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 24, 2007, for [[Ricky Davis]] and [[Mark Blount]].<ref>[https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3077037 Heat get Davis, Blount from Wolves for package including Walker]. Updated October 24, 2007</ref> However, on October 29, Simien was waived by the Wolves in order for them to keep their roster at the 15-player limit.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3086024 Wolves get younger with buyout of Howard's contract]. Updated October 29, 2007</ref>

He was given a Summer League invitation by the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]], but did not play due to a [[hamstring]] injury. He later received a training camp invitation from the [[Atlanta Hawks]] which was subsequently withdrawn. Simien joined, in October 2008, [[Spain]]'s [[Cáceres Ciudad del Baloncesto|Cáceres 2016 Basket]], in the [[Liga Española de Baloncesto|country's second level]].<ref>[http://www.hoy.es/20081009/deportes/leb-plata/caceres-aparta-williams-ficha-20081009.html Cáceres waives Harper Williams and signs NBA champion Wayne Simien] {{in lang|es}}</ref>

Simien decided to retire from professional basketball on May 5, 2009, to pursue his [[Christian ministry]] called Called To Greatness.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/may/01/simien-retires-pro-hoops/?sports|title= Simien retires from pro hoops}}</ref> In August 2021, he took a position with the [[Kansas Jayhawks|University of Kansas Athletic Department]] as the [[Athletic director|Associate Athletics Director for Engagement and Outreach]].<ref>[https://www2.kusports.com/news/2021/aug/31/ku-ad-travis-goff-hires-wayne-simien-jr-associate-/ KU AD Travis Goff hires Wayne Simien Jr. to associate AD role], ''[[Lawrence Journal-World]]'', August 31, 2021.</ref>

==Personal life==
Simien is a [[Christianity|Christian]].<ref name="aboutme">{{cite web |title=About Me. |url=https://www.waynesimien.com/ |access-date=15 March 2023}}</ref> Simien married his wife, Katie, on July 8, 2006.<ref>{{cite web| title = NBA.com profile| website = [[NBA.com]]| url = http://www.nba.com/playerfile/wayne_simien/bio.html| access-date = March 19, 2007| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070415043657/http://www.nba.com/playerfile/wayne_simien/bio.html| archive-date = April 15, 2007}}</ref> They have 5 children.<ref name="aboutme"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{basketballstats|bbr=s/simiewa01|name=Wayne Simien}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051225141502/http://www.rockchalk.com/jayhawks/simieway.sht College stats and info]

{{Navboxes|list1=
{{Miami Heat 2005-06 NBA champions}}
{{2005 NBA draft}}
{{2005 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Senior CLASS Award - Men's Basketball}}
{{Big 12 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year navbox}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simien, Wayne}}
[[Category:1983 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:All-American college men's basketball players]]
[[Category:American Christians]]
[[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Spain]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Kansas]]
[[Category:Cáceres Ciudad del Baloncesto players]]
[[Category:Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball players]]
[[Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans]]
[[Category:Miami Heat draft picks]]
[[Category:Miami Heat players]]
[[Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)]]
[[Category:Power forwards]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Leavenworth, Kansas]]